This invention relates to linear slides and more particularly to a linear slide having one member which slides on another, one of the members being bifurcated and straddling the other with linear bearings on each side of the straddled member connecting it to the bifurcations of the other member.
Linear slides generally include a bifurcated member straddling another. Either member can be fixed and the other slides with respect to it on two linear bearings sandwiched between the bifurcations of the one member and the sides of the straddled member. Heretofore, each of the linear bearings has included a pair of opposing raceways, one carried by one member and the other carried by the other, with a set of balls or rollers riding in each pair of raceways.
One prior structure places four longitudinally running rods in each raceway. Two of the rods carried by one member and two by the other member. Rollers ride on all four rods in the raceway and preload is applied by adjusting the longitudinal position of a tapered gib that rides in a tapered slot in one of the members and bears against two of the rods in one of the raceways carried by the same member. Means are in one of the members for preloading the bearings in the raceways so that lateral motion of one member with respect to the other in a direction transverse to the direction of slide is prohibited. This preload is adjustable to prevent backlash compensate for wear between the rollers and raceways. Examples of bearing slides of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,790,233 and 3,897,119. Although generally functioning well, these prior preload mechanisms exhibit certain disadvantages such as the requirement for precision adjustment which can result in higher cost and unstability.
The object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a linear bearing slide with an improved preloading mechanism.